Adios

This will probably be my last post of this year. I leave for Bombay in a couple of days. I am not sure if I'm going to blog from India.

So I bid farewell to the land of sour dough breads and barbeque pork. I will see you in 2009.

As for the land of road-side noodles and mutton kebabs....hang on I'm almost there.

Pecan Pie - Thanksgiving Finale

Golden Apple Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled & sliced

3 eggs

3/4 c. brown sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

3/4 c. light corn syrup

2 tsp. butter

2/3 c. coarsely chopped pecans

Pastry for single crust pie (store bought)

Directions:
Line a 9 inch pie plate with pastry. Place apple slices in bottom of pie plate. Beat eggs; add remaining ingredients, reserving a few pecan halves and mix well. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Then reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake for about 1 hour or until set. Garnish with whipped cream and a few pecan halves.

The pecan pie, I am proud of...perhaps my best dish so far!

Casserole - Thanksgiving Contd.

Spinach Cranberry Casserole

This is a simple but delicious recipe, self created but semi-homemade like Sandra Lee’s.

Ingredients:
1 bunch / 1 bag - baby spinach
1 cup - corn nibblets
½ cup – dried cranberries (store bought)
1 can – cream of mushroom soup
Oregano
Chilli Flakes
½ cup Shredded Cheese
Salt n Pepper (to taste)

Directions:
1) Gather all the ingredients, all one has to do is layer them together.
2) In a large, deep, baking dish, assemble half the spinach at the bottom.
3) You then add a layer of corn (1/4 cup) over it.
4) Pour half the can of thick mushroom soup over the corn.
5) Sprinkle some dried cranberries, salt, pepper, oregano and chilli flakes.
6) Repeat 2-5 once again.
7) Finally add the shredded cheese and bake at 300 degrees for 20 minutes.

Voila… your casserole is ready.

Green Beans - Thanksgiving contd.

Green Beans and Caramelized Onions

Ingredients
1 lb green beans,
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onions, sliced thin
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions
Fill a large high sided skillet with some water. Place over high heat and bring up to boil; add a big pinch of salt and the green beans. Cook for about 5 minutes, the beans should still be crisp. Drain the beans and then run them under some cold water to stop them from cooking. Reserve the beans while you start the onions.

In a skillet add the butter and olive oil and heat until the butter has melted. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently until the onions caramelize, 20 to 25 minutes. Add the thyme, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cooked cooled green beans and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Traditional Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Tradition

This year, unlike last year, I bought a whole turkey. It was challenging to find a real small one, but I did finally! I also decided to make as many dishes as I possibly could - turkey, stuffing, sides and a pie. I guess all the time that I spent watching food network for the last one month paid of, because I think I put out a pretty good spread... good by my amateur standards that is. I tried to capture all of it in the picture above.

The Menu
- Herb Roasted Turkey
- Carrot-Celery Stuffing
- Gravy
- Spinach Cranberry Casserole
- Sauted Brocolli n Mushroom
- Green Beans with Caramelized Onions
- Corn Bread
- Beetroot Salad
- Apple Pecan Pie
- Apple Cider

I marinated the turkey 3 days in advance. The marinade was straight out of one of Ina Garten’s recipe.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/herb-roasted-turkey-breast-recipe/index.html

I followed it to the T and baked it for 3 whole hours. Yes it did turn out to be a little dry in the center but on the whole I think I did a decent job… SK, my unfailing food supporter, said so at least!

For the Stuffing: (also courtesy food network)
Ingredients:
3 whole celery stems cut into medium pieces
½ an onion cut lengthwise
2 whole carrots cut lengthwise
2 tsp sage
2 tsp minced garlic
½ cup cooking wine
1 cup chicken broth

Method:
- Sautee the onion in olive oil and garlic.
- Add in the celery and carrots once onion turn brown
- Add the sage, the chicken broth and the cooking wine; simmer together for five minutes.
- Transfer to a baking dish and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

The gravy and the corn bread were both made from a packet. It was the first time I’ve baked cornbread. I cut down on the butter which is why it turned out a tad bit dry.

The next 3 posts will have the recipes for the casserole, beans and pecan pie. Honestly, the meal wasn’t lip-smacking delicious but I’m glad I went all out. It may not have been a traditional meal but it sure was a tradition that I’d like to keep going… for years to come.

Thrive

Thrive; yet another chic lounge in downtown Atlanta. Located in the Centennial Towers, Thrive is the perfect melting pot for the after-hour work crowd. The seating plush, service impeccable and food as good as any of the other lounges I've been to in recent times.

Thrive has a wide sushi bar. I, however, opted for the regular menu. It boasted many unusual items including arugula, edamame and halibut. The most noteworthy item, to me, was the french onion soup. It was served in an oversized, scooped out white onion with a warm roll of bread. Delicious! Though there was nothing you could fault this place with, I know I wont willingly visit again. Some inexplicable vibe left me feeling a little out of sorts... go figure!

Tiramisu

I have a glorious Tiramisu recipe; I've had it in my inbox for a couple of weeks actually. The recipe is courtsey A; it was her contribution to the Tapas Night that we'd organized a month or two ago. Here goes..

Ingredients:
EGGS, 8, with yolks and whites separated
SUGAR, 1/3 cup
MASCARPONE, 1 pound
HEAVY CREAM, 1 cup
ESPRESSO COFFEE, 2 cups cooled
MARSALA WINE, 2/3 cup else BRANDY, 2/3 cup
LADY FINGERS, 30
BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE, 2 ounces grated
COCOA POWDER, Dutch process, sifted, for garnish

Directions
Mix the sugar into the egg yolks, blending well.
Add a little Mascarpone at a time to the egg yolk mixture, and mix until smooth. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set this aside as well.
In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
Fold the whipped cream into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the beaten egg whites.
Spread about 1/3 of the cream mixture of a 4-6 quart glass baking dish or serving bowl.
Place expresso coffee in a large mixing bowl, and combine with the brandy.
Dip a lady finger into the expresso, lay it in baking dish on cream mixture.
Top with grated chocolate.
Continue in this manner, laying lady fingers side by side to cover the bottom.
Place another 1/3 of cream mixture on top of soaked lady fingers.
Cover this with another layer of expresso-soaked lady fingers.
Top with remaining cream mixture and grated chocolate.
Dust final layer with grated chocolate and cocoa powder.
Chill overnight or a minimum of 2 hours to set.

Tip: You can cut down on the eggs and whipped cream for a more calorie-friendly portion and you can use regular instant coffee instead of espresso. The ladyfinger can be substituted by a regular sponge cake if necessary.

Thanks A. I have yet to try it and when I do I sure hope it turns out as yummalicious as yours.

Pancakes

This is G Jns recipe...one she got her hands on during a 'Breakfast Exchange' at school!

Ingredients:
1 ½ Tbs flour
1½ tbs sugar (if salty pancake add pinch of salt instead of sugar)
1 egg
½ Tbs veg oil
About 1 cup milk/water

Method:
Mix the flour, eggs and veg oil together. Little by little add the milk till a smooth free flowing mix is obtained. Add sugar or salt and mix in.
Pour a large spoonful of the batter onto a hot pan and cook evenly on both sides.
Add toppings of choice.

Suggested topping:
Salty
Cheese and Ham
Mushroom and onions (stir fried with salt and pepper)
Bolognese sauce
Stir fried vegs of choice
Smoked salmon with cream cheese

Sweet
Lemon and sugar
Strawberry Jam
Nutella
Cinnamon with butter
Different flavors of syrups
Fruits with whipped cream

You can invent your own toppings and enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just a snack.

Benihana

Benihana is a Japanese restaurant chain, one that serves the most succulent sea-food I’ve ever tasted. What started out from selling off a cart in New York has now become a restaurant chain that’s famous the world over.

I ate at Benihana only recently; was my birthday lunch courtesy the company! The uniqueness of this restaurant is highlighted by the dining arrangement; the table itself is a flaming, hot rectangular Hibachi with chairs around three sides of it. The chef wheels the raw ingredients on a cart and after a stunning display of knife-jugglery proceeds to cook the food right in front of you. I had the Hibachi special; a combination of shrimp, clams and muscles. It was served with white rice and a Japanese pickle. I loved it and am looking forward to going with SK another time. I will sample the sake for sure!

These are a few of my favorite..

.....SOUPS

Well now that the temperatures have dipped and there’s a welcome chill in the air, what better comfort food than a bowl of warm soup.

This past Saturday I had Gumbo, and for the first time, I really enjoyed it. This was from the one and only Atlanta Bread Company. So that’s what prompted this list; a list of my top five favorite soups and where I find them.

5) Cream of Mushroom – Campbell’s
“Campbell’s chicken soup, possibility.” Well more than a possibility Campbell’s soup out of a can has been a necessity for me; these past few years. My favorite is the cream of mushroom soup. One can and you’re done.

4) Tomato Basil Soup – Boneheads
While Boneheads maybe know for its PiriPiri chicken, I like it for its rich tomato basil soup; clear and with more than just a hint of basil. Actually more than me, this is an all-time favorite of SK’s and he was the one to introduce me to it. I haven’t looked back ever since.

3) Chicken Enchilada Soup – Atlanta Bread Company
The ubiquitous ABC; they dish out some pretty good and very filling chicken enchilada soup. I think the best part of the soup is the warm roll of bread that accompanies it!

2) Hot and Sour Soup – Chin Chin
Now I’m talking about the Chin Chin Chinese restaurant 2 miles from my home but hot and sour soup in general has always, always been one of my favorites.

1) Shrimp Bisque – Sweet Tomatoes
The shrimp bisque at Sweet Tomatoes is to die for, and I mean that literally. I love shrimp and no one makes this soup as good as Sweet Tomatoes. I add the little bacon bits on top and always go back for a second helping.

This winter I spend most of my time in India and may not have a soup-binge. Maybe I’ll come up with a Top 5 list of Indian soups… you never know.

Broccoli Salad

This is a broccoli salad with raisins and pistachios, along with red onions and a sweet-sour mayonnaise dressing. It is inspired by my favorite Broccoli salad at Sweet Tomatoes. The actual recipe I've tried hard to find; this is the closest I've come.

Ingredients:
5 cups fresh broccoli florets

2 cups cauliflower florets
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pistachios
1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon (if desired)
1/4 cup of red onion, chopped
.
Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 cup sugar

Preparation:Combine broccoli and cauliflower florets, raisins, pistachios, crumbled bacon and chopped onion in a large serving bowl. In a separate bowl or large cup, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and sugar. Add dressing to the salad and toss to mix well; chill thoroughly before serving. Broccoli salad serves 4 to 6.

Tuna Patties

Ingrediets:

1. 1 (12 1/2 oz.) can flaked tuna


2. 1 c. dry bread crumbs


3. 1 egg, slightly beaten


4. 1 c. mayonnaise


5. 1/2 c. chopped celery


6. 1/2 c. chopped onion


7. 1/2 c. shredded carrots


8. Corn oil
   

Method: Mix together ingredients (except oil) and shape into patties. Heat oil over medium heat, add patties; turn over once.

Chutney

Today I made something I've never made before. Chutney! Simple, fresh, Indian chutney. I'm not sure what prompted this because I usually buy chutney from the Indian store. Perhaps the need to be frugal or maybe I just found myself with time on my hands, which is rather unusual for me on a Sunday. So well, I made chutney. Here's the recipe I pulled off the net.

I think sorting the cilantro took longer than anything else but worth the effort 'cause I now have a bottle of home-made chutney in the fridge.

Recipe: 1 bunch fresh mint
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
1/2 inch piece of ginger root
salt to taste
1 green chili
2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons coriander powder
2 teaspoons amchoor (mango powder from Indian grocery, or substitute more lime or lemon juice)
1/2 cup onion
1/4-1/2 cup water for blending

Preparation: 1. Clean the mint leaves and cilantro leaves.
2. Add all ingredients except the water together in a blender or
3. Blend/process and add water as you blend.

Refrigerate and enjoy during the week.

Eros

Eros - World Tapas Bar, opened its doors about 3 months ago in Buckhead, Atlanta. It's one of the biggest restaurants I've seen so far. They boast a circular bar, ample indoor dining and of course a huge patio overlooking Piedmont Road. On certain nights, the patio is converted to a dance floor with a live DJ. At Eros, everything is blue. The light fixtures, the menu and the tableware; baby blue is the theme; an unusal choice for a tapas bar, I think!

The food, as the name suggets, is from all around the world. From Japanese sushi to British fish and chips to Indian kebabs, there are at least fifteen different countries represented on the menu. The tapas were all $5 on an average. My favorite was the dessert; banana flambe with ice-cream. The baklava seemed equally tempting; maybe next-time!

Tapas Night

Last weekend marked the much awaited Tapas Night, perhaps the last pool party of this year. We had a smorgasbord of some very delectable food. The idea was for each of us to choose a country and prepare a tapas unique to it. I think it’s safe to say that yet again, we outdid ourselves!

The Menu:

1) Caribbean - Fried Plantain & Black Bean Salad
2) Mexican - Seven Layered Dip and chips
3) Medditerranean - Stuffed portobello mushrooms
4) Lebanese - Frankie Wraps
5) Italian - Tiramisu
6) Indian - Kebabs
7) French - Mini Quiches
8) Chinese - Cauliflower Manchurian
9) Native American - Cornbread and Fondue

The drink menu was even more scintillating, maybe I'll leave that for another post.

Amma's Kitchen

Amma’s Kitchen is the only South Indian vegetarian restaurant in Atlanta. They have a buffet for lunch and a la carte for dinner. We went on Ganesh Chathruti so that could be the reason why the food was exceptionally good. I’m told on regular days the buffet does not have as much of a variety. If you don’t like Tamilian food, I would not suggest that you visit Amma’s kitchen. From the tamarind rice to the pongal, the rava kesari to the laddus, the food is simple, authentic and truly south-indian.

Amma’s Kitchen is in the lesser knows parts of Alpharetta, and the buffet was moderately priced at seven dollars. All in all, this is a place that vegetarians would definately enjoy.

Breakfast for a King

Breakfasts, for me, have long since become a thing of the past. While I do, on occasion, question the sanctity of this decision, for the most part; time or the lack of it simply prevents me from indulging in breakfast. Labor-Day, for this reason, and so many more, was such a beautiful, welcome and refreshing change.

Of all the meals we prepared, I think our breakfast was my favorite. There’s something to getting up to a dewy morning and nursing a cup of coffee on the front deck that makes breakfast-time even more inviting. Of course, the fact that we prepared it together, amidst a lot of laughs and bustle, laid out the wooden bench with matching napkins and silverware and sat down together to eat made it so much more enjoyable.

Poha with thokku, pancakes with bananas and syrup and OJ; all while surrounded by the North GA wilderness and the Brasstown Bald mountains. Heaven!

Sukha Mutton

This is my favorite preparation of lamb. It's a South Indian preparation; and is best enjoyed with kori roti - a Mangalorean chapatti.

Ingredients:

Mutton 2 lbs
Coconut grated 1/2Onions
6 Garlic flakes
8-10 Dalchini sticks
4-5 Mutton masala
6 tspTurmeric powder
1/2 tspGaram masala powder
1 tsp Coriander leaves


Method:

First clean the mutton and make medium pieces. Apply mutton masala,turmeric powder and garam masala powder. Keep aside for 1 hour. Cut 2 onions into slices and 4 onions into small pieces. In a pan take 1 tbsp. oil and fry onion slices until golden. Add dalchini sticks and grated coconut and fry for 2-3 min. Make paste in mixture with little water and apply to marinated mutton. In a another pan take 4 tbsp oil and add crushed garlic flakes and fry it till golden. Add chopped onions and fry till get brown. Pour marinated mutton and mix well. Fry on high flame for 2-3 min.If water is necessary then add a little water but not too much. When mutton is ready add salt and again cook for some time. Mutton should be dry. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Straits

Straits is a restaurant that recently opened its doors in Buckhead, Atlanta. It’s a part of a chain, with its flagship restaurant in San Francisco. The cuisine is primarily Singaporean with a fusion of other Asian cuisines as well. Straits is owned by the one and only Ludacris so needless to say this place is super chic and pretty pricey!

SK took us here for my birthday this year. The food was excellent. I would suggest the Potong Kari Ayam; a traditional Singaporean curried chicken served with Jasmine rice. The plating was excellent and they have really pretty dinnerware. The best part though was dessert; a fancy concoction of strawberries, vanilla ice cream and chocolate. They even had a candle for me to blow out!

Unlike most restaurants that close early on weekdays, Straits is open until much later and even on a week-day they had a steady stream of customers. The music is loud, the lights dim and the crowd trendy. Good choice SK.

The Food List

I stumbled upon this very interesting tag at one of my favorite blogger's corner: GGPEDIA. Now this is a food blog, so I'm really hoping I score well!

The Rules:

1) Copy this food list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold in RED all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ linking to your results


The comments in parenthesis are mine, the words in White have been previously looked up by GG for the definition.

Here goes....
THE LIST

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros (Thanks to SK and his love for Mexican food)
4. Steak Tartare
5. Crocodile (Yes, fried crocodile at Pappadeaux, was interesting, for want of a better word)
6. Black pudding - X
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba Ghanoush (At Gilbert’s Café, was delicious)
11. Calamari (Hell yeah!, fried calamari)
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo Gobi (Uhh, which Indian hasn’t?)
15. Hot dog from a street cart (Yes, the most memorable one being in NYC)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes (Plum wine, I think though can't remember where)
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream (The best ever is the one at Naturals)
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans (I admit to this at the risk of sounding like a Mexican)
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters (I’m a sea-foodie if you haven’t realized as yet)
29. Baklava (Greece’s best gift to mankind)
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi Peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (I’m sure the two count separately too)
33. Salted Lassi (prefer it sweet though)
34. Sauerkraut (comci comca, as G jn. would say)
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O (made it myself too!)
39. Gumbo (I’m salivating, a true Georgian huh)
40. Oxtail
41. Curried Goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken Tikka Masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs (once, Dad made me try it, I swear)
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake (Funnel cake at a 4th of July event)
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain (tried making it once, soaked up too much oil)
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette - X
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini (half a point for just caviar)
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill - X
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail - escargot
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky (Thanks to T, who introduced me to the little Japanese grocery store on Buford Hwy)
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers X (reminds me of the marigold eating guy in Monsoon Wedding)
89. Horse - X
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam - X
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake – X

TOTAL: 40/100

I solemnly swear to score at least 90 one day. The remaining 10, well I’m a conservative Virgo for a reason.

Birthday Cake

Twenty something and counting. A year older, Am I any wiser?

Fresh 2 Order

Fresh 2 Order or F2O is a salad chain spread accross the country. They serve a variety of salads, soups and sandwiches. The menu isn't all that exhaustive actually, but what they lack in variety they make up for in taste and portion. The portion size is huge. The salads can easily serve two and it comes with a freshly baked bread roll. The salads are also mostly vegetarian and meat toppings can be added for a few extra dollars. It's a great lunch spot, the decor is bright and colorful and the service quick. However, I think it's a wee bit pricey. For almost the same price I can enjoy an entire salad buffet at Sweet Tomatoes!

Hibachi Express

Hibachi Express is a tiny Japanese restaurant located in Alpharetta. It is in a strip mall at the intersection of Old Milton Parkway and Devore Road.

To begin with, a Hibachi is a traditional Japanese grill, akin to the Indian tandoor. It is meant to slow cook food over charcoal. This is what gives the food the tantalizing aroma and tenderness. For the last three years I've been going to the Starbucks right next to this restaurant and have always appreciated the smells wafting out. Last week I decided to step in. I'm glad I did. They serve all kinds of Hibachi food, from chicken to scallops. The entree comes with a big portion of rice and a choice between various stir fried vegetables. The low-carb'ers like me can opt for additional veggies, no rice. All this for $8.

The picture alongside is a Hibachi. I'm definitely going back.

Veggie Delight

We had a 'Girl's Night In' a couple of weeks ago. D & S asked each of us to bring a 'surprise ingredient' for the Veggie Lover's Pizza. So as you can see for the picture above, the pizza was a rich medley of flavors; pesto sauce, capers, black olives, caramlized onions, sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese.

And who says Pizza goes with beer only? We paired it with Sangria, a great combination.

Eclipse di Luna

Eclipse di Luna is perhaps the best tapas restaurant that Dunwoody has to offer. I've been here twice in the recent months and both times was amazed by just how crowded and popular this place seems to be. The tag line says ' A Different State of Mind' and that's perhaps pretty accurate. You have to be in a mood to kick back and enjoy a leisurely time with friends and let the sizzling chic undertone that this restaurant offers seep in.

The outdoor seating is great with the wrought iron furniture and the live band playing inside adds to the uniqueness of this place. They have a wide assortment of tapas. I have enjoyed the spiced potatoes and the fried calamari the most. However, what takes the cake is the cake, literally! The Tres Leche on the dessert menu is a soft sponge cake soaked in cream and an assortment of other ingredients that were simply mouth watering. So the next time you want to dine at the Perimeter, stop by Eclipse di Luna. It’s worth it.

Here & There

I've had a blog sabbatical, it may seem like. That's not because of a lack of things to write about, in fact, I think I've been eating way too much and have gotten lazy! This post is a random assortment of the different tastes, stores and places of the last three weeks.

Gelato -
I discovered freshly made Gelato at Harry's Farmer's Market last week. They apparently have a little Gelato and smoothie corner - I tried two flavors; mango and banana-strawberry, just perfect for a hot week-day afternoon.

Falafel -
Al-Medina at Norcross is huge an Asian Grocery store. They are known all over Atlanta for their fresh goat meat and in fact distribute to many of the local retailers. What I discovered on Saturday, was that they sell Falafel's and an assortment of other delicious looking food as well. The spicy chicken Falafel; reminiscent of New York, was really very good and oh so filling!

Coffee -
I discovered a quaint little cafe at the GSU campus two weeks ago. After almost three years of patronizing various different campus vending machines, and eating more pop tarts and honey buns than I can ever imagine, I find the cosiest little coffee shop, nestled in the basement of the main library. It's called Saxby's.

Chinese -
I've rediscovered the joys of eating greasy Chinese Food at the mall. After swearing off that food for the longest time, I succumbed and ate at Panda Express twice in the last three weeks. When you've window-shopped yourself to death, the only thing that can compensate for a bad shopping day is a nice oily meal at Panda Express! Heaven.

Taverna Plaka

Atlanta’s best kept Greek secret – Taverna Plaka. This Mediterranean restaurant sits unassumingly on Cheshire bridge road. What looks like a bistro-next-door from the outside, is anything but that on the inside. Sensuous lightning, brick walls, a cozy gazebo for private dining and a spacious patio, all promote a definite visit to this restaurant. The food was also worth writing home about – I would recommend the lamb kabobs served with saffron rice! Like most Greek places, this one is pretty pricey too.

Have I spoken about the clincher yet? The sexy belly dancers of course!

Rice Sevai

Rice Sevai is another Mangalore specialty and one of my favorite breakfast fares. Here's a simple recipe.

Ingredients:
1 packet Rice sevai
5-6 red chillies
2 tsps of oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp gram
1 tsp tur dal
A few curry leaves
Coriander leaves to garnish, salt to taste

Method:
Boil 3 cups of water and add the rice sevai to it. Allow it to cook for five minutes. Remove and transfer to a strainer and allow the water to drain completely. Heat oil in a pan seperately, add mustard seeds, curry leaves and the two dals. When it starts spluttering, add the red chillies. Finally add the sevai (ensure that it is completely dry). Cook for 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

A nice Sunday morning breakfast.

Steak n Shake

Steak n Shake, is an old American fast food chain. I would never recommend this place for their burgers or sandwiches. The food is greasy and not very appetizing. What I would highly recommend is their desserts - Just Desserts!

My two favorite are the strawberry shortcake and the molten brownie, both served with a generous scoop of vanilla ice-cream. The desserts are all below $4 and the portions; simply enormous. Another favorite is the side by side milk shake; strawberry and banana. This shake is so thick you wont have to eat for the next three days.

Go check 'em out, perfect place for that after dark dessert binge.

Pizza in Pisa

All smiles, G jn. at a little bistro beside the Leaning Tower of Pisa.

Pho 79

Pho 79 is a Vietnamese restaurant. It belongs to a chain that is apparently spread across the country. This one is located just off Winters Chapel Road. It definitely qualifies as a food-find. Vietnamese food, to me, is a combination of Thai and Chinese. Yes they have all kinds of noodles; fried, steamed, boiled, flat, angle hair, etc but they also incorporate the use of ingredients like coconut and basil leaves; traditionally used in Thai cuisine. The food at Pho 79 was definitely good. One has to be careful to ask for a description of each entrée though, for there are some that are served lukewarm and some cold, and not everyone would enjoy that!

The menu is in Vietnamese and you could just about have a crash course in the language if you so desired. They also had an entire vegetarian section, a much appreciated aspect of this restaurant. The only downside was that the service was not that earthshaking. Despite there being very few patrons that night, the food took forever to come. It was a girls night out though, and time tends to fly when you’re with a bunch of noisy girlfriends.

Fruit Find

On our drive back to Atlanta, we stopped by a wayside fruit shack that was selling locally grown produce. There was something so extraordinarily pleasing about buying freshly plucked strawberries and an oversized egg-plant from somewhere in the middle of rural Georgia. Simple pleasures indeed.

Chicken Skewers

This was my Friday night experiment with skewers, chicken and barbecue sauce. The chicken was a tad bit dry, the mushrooms too salty and the onions overdone. The only saving grace, well it looked pretty good!

Gilbert's Cafe

Gilbert's Cafe is a delightful Mediterranean restaurant on 10th Street. It was a perfect place to kick back and enjoy a Saturday night at. From the reddish tone of the décor, to the fusion music and the wide range of tapas on the menu, this café was every bit as pleasing as I’d hoped it would be. I think however, the underscore of Gilbert’s Café is its wide variety of vegetarian entrees, much to the satisfaction of our friends'. We ordered a vegetarian sampler to begin with and it actually had an assortment of 9 different appetizers, not something you find often on a menu!

Gilbert’s Café was a restaurant of many firsts; first time I’ve had a Raspberry Martini and tasted a Virgin Sex on The Beach, first time I’ve sampled the infamous Baba Ganoush and the first time I’ve actually enjoyed the bittersweet taste of Dolma. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for not just style but a belly-full of satisfaction too!

I give this place a big G Star.

Fellini's

Fellini's is undoubtedly one of the best pizza joints I’ve eaten at so far. There's something about Fellini's that makes me go back again and again. From the outside and the inside it appears like your typical New York Pizza house, one that you'll meet at every few blocks. This is not a gourmet pizza parlor, just the contrary in fact. From the chalkboard that posts the handwritten menu to the tables huddled close together on the outdoor patio, Fellini's is every bit your shop around the corner. The only difference, perhaps, is that the pizzas are really very delicious. My recommendation is the cheese cannoli and the spinach mushroom pizza. The prices are competitive, the cheese plentiful and the store timings – past midnight!

What more do you need on Roswell road? Alongside, is my favorite person at my favorite pizza joint.

Ice-cream, The Mangalore Way

G jn. was in Mangalore recently and was treated to a very special hometown specialty – Dilkush Ice-cream. From what she says, it was a humongous portion of ice-cream served on a platter with a generous garnish of vermicelli and nuts. It was apprently out of this world; wasn’t just dil-khush but pait-khush as well. Another popular Mangalore treat, I learnt, is the Gadbad ice-cream. As the name suggests, it’s a mixture of different flavors, meant to confuse but satisfy!

I think I’m really gonna havta visit Mangalore sometime soon, if not to reconnect with my roots, then at least for the ice-cream.

Above, is the one and only Dilkhush; not just a mouthful, but an eyeful as well.

Henri's Bakery

I am very proud of my latest food find - Henri's Bakery and Cafe on Roswell Road. It sits right beside the Trader Joes and every time I'm there, I notice it, but concern for my weight and wallet prevent me from stepping in. Two days ago, I walked in. It turned out to be just as expected, home to the most yummalicious looking confectioneries. They seemed to have every possible tartlet, crepe and pie on display. With a mouth that was really watering and a stomach that was blatantly growling I chose a Belgian Spice Cookie and a Chocolate Ruglah. I didn't know what either was and had to ask for a description. The cookie was like a biscotti and the Ruglah, I learnt is a Russian pastry. Both were great and I can't wait to go back, maybe in three months.

Alongside, is the delectable Chocolate Ruglah.

Wings - and not much more!

I love chicken wings. The flavor really doesn't matter; hot, lemon, teriyaki, orange, barbecue or cajun, I enjoy them all. There aren't many low-carb pleasures that are as fulfilling as a plate full of spicy wings, celery sticks, blue cheese (yeah it has the Atkins' blessing) and a tall glass of sweet tea. This post has my top 3 pick of places that have the yummiest wings in town.

1) Taqueria - This is a little Mexican restaurant in Alpharetta that we literally stumbled upon on one really hungry afternoon. They have about twenty different types of wings and even make their own blue cheese. The wings are so good you almost have to roll your sleeves up and eat with two hands! It's no wonder we keep going back.

2) North Peking - My girlfriends swear by the wings at North Peking. They make a flavor of chicken wings that I've never seen or eaten anywhere before - Mexican Hot Wings. The wings are slightly breaded and dressed with jalapeno peppers and onions. If you ever want to try Mexican wings at a Chinese restaurant in an American neighborhood, you know where to go!

3) Publix Deli - Yes, the deli at your neighborhood Publix proudly dishes up some very lip-smacking wings. My favorite kind are the Mardi Gras wings. A handy hint; don't go after 8:pm - they're usually all sold out but if you go a little before (during closing time) you'll definitely have an extra wing or two thrown in!

Until I find a few more good places, I shall contend with these.

Tea Time

This is my second post on Green tea. The first one was Stabucks’s Green Tea Frappuchino, very satisfying but laden with calories! This post is on Green Tea in its truest form. I’ve always know that this ancient Chinese drink is high in anti-oxidants and is therefore good for your skin and complexion. That's all I needed to know. Apart from occasionally ordering green tea at a Chinese restaurant, I’ve tried a couple of retail brands as well. The best by far has been the one home-brewed by Trader Joes. It’s pretty expensive though, viz a viz the Arizona Green Tea that sells at the same price for a gallon! ‘POM’ is another brand; they bottle Green and White Tea in different flavors, very natural but again, pretty pricey!

Today I decided to read up a little more on the much hyped Green Tea and realized that there are a whole lot of other health benefits associated with its consumption as well. In an article titled “The Miracle of Green Tea”, the author has listed a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful.

* cancer
* rheumatoid arthritis
* high cholesterol levels
* cariovascular disease
* infection
* impaired immune function

There’s an ancient Chinese proverb that says "Better to be deprived of food for three days, than tea for one."

If it’s going to make my skin glow, SURE.!

Cup Cakes

Chocolate cup cakes on a Sunday afternoon, reminiscent of the good old days back home. I made them from a box though, not from scratch .... almost as good as Mom's, ALMOST!

Cracker Barrel

I love Southern food; not the idli-dosa-wada-kind (I love that too) but more the fried chicken- corn on the cob-sweet tea kind. Cracker Barrel serves just that – old fashioned southern food. You can’t miss the brown and yellow Cracker Barrel sign every few exits on the highway. It’s a chain that’s half store, half restaurant and all country.

Every restaurant has a quaint retail store upfront; one that sells an odd assortment of wares like fishing rods, oven mitts, Elvis Presley records, scented candles and caramel apples. You have to make your way through the store before you reach the restaurant behind and if you’re like me, you will succumb to temptation and wind up buying something from the store, even if it’s just a bit of home-made fudge. The restaurant really does transport you back to small-town Georgia, probably back in the 1970s. The juke-box that belts out one country number after the other, the walls that boast Marilyn Monroe memorabilia and the staff are all quintessentially Southern. The menu conjures up every possible traditional recipe from the peach cobbler to the meat loaf.

I have tried a lot of different things on the menu and have always enjoyed my food here. I’ve only been to the one on Windward Parkway; it’s an occasional week-day lunch spot. Every time we visit, I wish I could stay on and idle like the other patrons. So my only tip is that if you ever visit Cracker Barrel, make sure you have time on your hands; to fully enjoy this southern home style store and restaurant at leisure!

One - Midtown Kitchen

This is unquestionably one of the top three restaurants in Atlanta I’ve patronized so far. It’s the perfect answer for anyone looking for that Saturday night, classy, urban hotspot. The cuisine is all American, right from the steak frites to the complimentary assortment of breadsticks. My recommendation would be the wood oven pizza and the side of parmesan herb fries. And since it was a certain someone's birthday, the dessert was on the house too! There’s far more to One than the food though. What was originally a warehouse has metamorphosed to a high energy restaurant complete with a well spread out bar and lounge area. I loved this place; it gets an absolute G star.

The success of One – Midtown Kitchen has launched Two – Urban Licks and Trois, both just waiting to be discovered. And if 'One' is anything to go by, I’m sure they’ve done a splendid job with ‘Two’ and ‘Three’ as well!

Tarte Au Chocolat

This post, like my previous, is grace a G junior. Both the recipe and the pretty visual are hers; and it comes to me directly from France!

Crust:
200 g four
100 g butter @room temperature
50 g sugar
Mix ingredients together until it gets crumbly (sand) texture. Add 1 Tbs of water to obtain dough. Leave in plastic film and keep for about 1 hr.
Roll pastry as thin as possible and put in a baking dish.
Make holes in the base of the paste with a fork.
Bake for about 15 minutes in an oven at 200 c.

Chocolate Mix:
200 g dark chocolate
200 ml of whipping cream
20 ml of milk
1 egg

Method:
Put whipping cream and milk in sauce and heat together until it starts to boil (little bubbles). Incorporate the chocolate cut into pieces to the cream and milk mixture. Mix until a perfectly smooth texture is obtained. Add 1egg and whisk energetically to obtain a smooth mix. Pour this chocolate mix into the precooked crust. Cook in an oven at 200 C for 10-20 minutes, depending on the size of the tart. Garnish with fresh strawberries.

I haven’t tried this recipe as yet. I’ve never made a pie crust from scratch actually; from what she says, it wasn’t that bad. We shall see, until then, Bon Appetite.